Fai's Payment
by WolfInWonderland
Summary: Part of the "Feathered" series. Fai has long since known who his Beloved was, but seeing as Kurogane hated him from the first meeting, could only be content to watch from afar. But when the group is left defenseless after an attack, Fai has to decide if he's willing to summon his wings. After all, that tattoo on his back did more than just keep his magic in check.


Fai's Payment

Part of the "Feathered" series. Fai has long since known who his Beloved was, but seeing as Kurogane hated him from the first meeting, could only be content to watch from afar. But when the group is left defenseless after an attack, Fai has to decide if he's willing to summon his wings. After all, that tattoo on his back did more than just keep his magic in check.

**This story is the Tsubasa installment of the "Feathered" series that I have made. For anyone not familiar with this project I highly suggest checking out my page since I have the detailed basis for what the series is about on there. Those of you that just want to get a story without the added stuff I'll make the very basics brief:**

**Winged – person with wings sent to protect, be protected by and is only willing to sacrifice for their Beloved**

**Beloved – person that is the one human that is bonded to the Winged and will gain an instant connection (if does not have already) with the Winged.**

**There you go. Please enjoy the first of my stories from my new return to fanfiction.**

Fai's Payment

For as long as Fai has known Kurogane he has known that he could never reveal his wings. There was a rumor that if a Winged ever showed their wings in the sight of their Beloved then both would gain an irreversible connection that could or could not be beneficial to them. Meaning that they could or could not become partners. Meaning that they could or could not become lovers.

Meaning that Kurogane could and would kill him before Fai even had time to call out "Kuro".

Fai sighed, sagging his shoulders a bit as the he and the princess walked through the market.

"Fai-san?" Sakura asked, tilting her head up to try and peek into his eyes. "Is something the matter?"

"No, no Sakura-chan," Fai replaced his slight frown with a waning smile, "I'm just a little tired of being dropped into such expensive worlds."

And he was. This could probably even be called their most expensive trip to any world so far, needing almost 5000 cen for a one-night stay at the cheapest hotel they could find when the best hourly wage Kurogane could get was only 500. And poor Syaoran, being obviously younger than the samurai, would make even less. Even selling all the trinkets they collected from the last world was only able to buy them an evening night's modest meal. And the modest was an adjective before splitting it between four people and Mokona.

Sakura nodded. "I should find a job too. It's not fair to leave all the work to Syaoran-kun and Kurogane-san."

"Maybe we can find a restaurant that has some openings," Fai agreed, calculating how much debt they'd still have to work out while reaching back to press his right hand into his left shoulder.

"Is your shoulder bothering you again?"

"Not really, more like a thinking habit that I've gotten used to."

The princess made to argue his sincerity before she was distracted by a help wanted sign to a bakery. Fai, taking his chance, ushered her inside while he waited.

A pulse of pain circuited through his body and he watched until Sakura's back was turned before releasing a small hiss through his teeth. His back was hurting, right at the shoulder blades where his wings were, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Running footsteps could be heard coming towards him and Fai quickly glanced to the right. No one else seemed to take notice as they continued walking without hesitation and nothing appeared to be any different then the normal bustle that had been moving around him for the past fifteen minutes.

"Hyuu…" he whistled, flexing his spine in a backbend to try and loosen the pain in his back. There was a sudden banging on the window and Fai looked up to see Sakura waving at him. Straightening, he smiled back before reaching for the door seeing the princess beckon him inside excitedly.

Fai hesitated at touching the handle. _I might need to keep an eye on them,_ he thought, glancing at the shadows hiding behind the crowd of people. They retreated further back behind a building and Fai went inside.

~_KuroFai~KuroFai~KuroFai~_

The two self-proclaimed kitties of the group collapsed on the couch once returning to their hotel. This town was rough—even the interviews before actually getting a job were exhausting, and Fai could only wonder if they would even come out of the first day alive after being chewed out at the questioning.

The mage sighed, looking up from his upside down position at the smiling face of the princess. He couldn't help but smile back, taking in her infectious happiness after a successful day of job hunting. Pushing himself up, Fai nodded to the kitchen. "We worked hard today, I say that deserves some food."

Sakura laughed. "Even though we haven't done any work yet? I think Syaoran-kun and Kurogane-san have more right to say that then we do."

"Of course we did work! We worked at looking for jobs—so that counts just as much as their effort does."

As if by magic, Fai's undermining their effort brought Syaoran running through the door, inadvertently tossing Mokona off his shoulder as he tossed himself onto the couch between the two already sitting. He exhaled in relief, his top half sinking into the cushions as the legs that didn't make the landing became lifeless.

Kurogane strode in, looking between the dead to the world Syaoran and wide-eyed Sakura before running a hand through his hair. "They had us lug thirty-two boxes from the warehouse to the other side of the damn city. And then back when they found out some shit-head sent us to the wrong place."

Fai stood up, patting the seat he kept warm as an invitation. "Then I really should go make dinner for our hardworking Kuro-papa and Syaoran-kun."

Too tired to retort back with more than a middle finger, Kurogane walked to his room and slammed the door behind him.

Sakura quickly picked up the still silent Mokona—Fai figured he must have either worn himself out with cheering on the two boys, unless even being a doll took a toll in this city—and gently placed him next to Syaoran.

Smiling as the princess timidly pet Syaoran's head while he mumbled about never using his legs again, Fai left for the kitchen.

_Even without her feathers, they still find a way to love each other._

The thought made Fai happy, genuinely happy, for them but could not stop himself from thinking to his own problems. He quickly glanced at Kurogane's door.

What would they be like, he wondered, if they shared as strong a love as those two?

Would things have been different if Fai had never started his nicknames with Kurogane? Would they have as strong a bond as what he saw in Sakura and Syaoran?

Fai laughed. Of course they wouldn't. The bond between a Winged and Beloved was stronger than anything a pair of humans could have, even those from a world embedded in magic. But he could never have it, all because of that one slip up in their first meeting.

Maybe he could try again in the next life if he died before Kurogane.

"Hey."

Fai started, nicking himself on the knife he was using to cut the carrots for dinner. "Kuro-puu you scared me!"

Kurogane stood at his door, staring into the very blue of Fai's eyes in the way that was the only surefire chance of making the mage nervous, before sighing as if he was deciding to make the largest sacrifice of his life.

Stepping closer, Kurogane turned on the tap to get water flowing and pulled Fai's still bleeding finger under it.

"Kuro, what are you doing?"

The larger man was silent, just staring at the slightly tinted pink water swirling down the drain. It made Fai, always bubbly and energetic Fai, uncomfortable and quiet.

And internally writhing. His suppressed wings rippled underneath his skin; having his Beloved so close and touching him was making his inner Winged rage with being unable to properly feel him. Fai felt his inner self longing to make himself known—to tell Kurogane that yes, he was his Beloved just as Fai was Kurogane's Winged. Fai wanted to show off that that he could protect Kurogane, and be protected by him in turn.

Fai just wanted to have their bond.

And knowing that he couldn't, knowing that the very Beloved he wished to be with would sooner tear off each of his feathers before admitting to being bonded with him, Fai stepped away. He pulled back his hand out of Kurogane's grasp and held it to his chest protectively while keeping his head down to avoid looking into those red eyes he's dreamed of throughout the journey.

"I should finish dinner."

Kurogane stared at his empty hand, clenching it tightly as if realizing that it was suddenly empty. Maybe it was his tiredness making him act more reserved. Maybe he was tired of calling Fai an idiot and getting angry at his every move. Maybe he was just tired of Fai, but whatever the reason Kurogane simply turned back and made his way to the door of his room.

Fai returned his concentration to the food in front of him, so engrossed in keeping his inner Winged from desperation at letting him go, that he almost didn't hear Kurogane's voice underneath the sound of the door closing.

"I told you how I hate fakeness, idiot. And that laugh was almost worse than all your fake smiles put together."

~KuroFai~KuroFai~KuroFai~

"_Ashura-ou! Ashura-ou!" A young Yuui ran towards his master, holding in his arms the bags of snow the older man had asked him to get. "Is this enough?"_

_The man smiled tiredly, nodding as the excited child ran ahead of him. Out of the child's view though, his smile turned into a deep frown as he watched the child run off with a pair of blue tinted, white wings trailed after him on his back. _

"_What do you need these bags of snow for, Ashura-ou? It sure is a lot!"_

_Ashura kept silent, for the moment ignoring the child's question as he prepared himself for what needed to be said. _

"_Ashura-ou?"_

"_Yuui, where is your brother? We need him for something."_

~KuroFai~KuroFai~KuroFai~

"_What are you doing? Stop it!"_

"_It's for your own good Yuui, you can't be showing off your wings anymore."_

"_It hurts Ashura-ou! Stop!"_

"_Fai hold him tighter—and make sure to keep dragging the ice down the symbol."_

_It went on like this for hours, possibly even days—the young Winged could not tell anymore as all he could feel, all he could understand, was pain. The pain of having his wings suppressed by a magic tattoo was the worst pain he had ever felt in his life, even worse then dying of starvation in that tiny cellar before Ashura-ou had found them. It was pulsing, the wings were pulsing as they were pushed back and the only other thing he could feel besides that mind numbing pain was the unbearable shock of having the binding magic tattooed onto his back. Or maybe those two were so connected that they were one in the same, and the only other thing he could feel was the sting of betrayal as his brother held him down._

_Did Fai hate him for his wings too? Did he want them gone just as badly as Ashura-ou? Why were they going through such measures to hide his wings? Were Winged bad in this world? Shunned? Were they seen as so disgusting that to see one was to have them immediately locked up along with anyone they were related to?_

_Why?_

_Why did they hate him? Why did they hide who he was? Why wasn't his Beloved around so they could run away together? Why—why—why—WHY?_

~KuroFai~KuroFai~KuroFai~

Fai didn't dream. He didn't sleep deep enough to reach that sort of state. And the images he saw when he did almost reach such depth were not meant to be the parts of a dream. He did have nightmares though, and each one was enough to convince him to never try and reach such a deep sleep again.

The magician woke with a start, shooting up in his bed with a quiet yell as he reached for his back.

His wings were burning, so much so that Fai could almost pretend that they were charring right through his very skin. They were making their presence known and showing just how angry they were at being suppressed for so long.

The Winged may have hated the tattoo on his back for repressing his true nature, but at least it never brought such agony as this. Keeping them locked under his own will was more strenuous then Fai could have ever thought possible: having to fight both his mental state and body's rebellion was taking its toll on him.

That Dimensional Witch sure knew how to call a price when she took his tattoo.

Suddenly there was a feeling of arms being wrapped around him. Fai tensed, ready to spring out and fight if necessary, but the pain in his body lessened somewhat so he decided that it was fine to stay put for now.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Mage?"

Alright, scratch that. It was time to move.

"Kuro-puu! What are you doing in my room?" Fai teased, scooting away from the larger man and hoping that he didn't notice the small wince as he did so. "Are you here to do something naughty~?"

Kurogane sputtered. "I—no, that's not—I didn't—you idiot!" He made to hit Fai on the back of the head and, in the mage's distraction, actually landed the hit.

Fai rubbed the spot in mock pain. "It looks like you're a lot more energetic Kuro-talkative! You didn't want to say anything to me earlier. Looks like you just needed sleep!"

The larger man looked at his hand that hit Fai. Then to the other sitting in front of him. "I hit you."

"Yes I can feel that," Fai agreed.

"But I never hit you. You always move out of the way."

Fai's eyes widened, realizing his misstep too late. "Well I am tired you know. Something about this world got to everyone, Kuro-tan."

"Then why were you in pain when I came in?"

"Why did you come in the first place?" Fai countered, unconscious of his words until Kurogane grew silent.

"I'm not…really sure. I just, felt something was _off_, I guess." Kurogane trailed off, fighting the blush that was noticeable even in the dark of Fai's room.

Fai, on the other hand, paled. Kurogane—the Beloved—felt that his Winged was in trouble and came to help. Was it always like this? Has he felt such a feeling before when Fai was in danger? There were certain things that only such a bond could create, and Fai had often felt the need himself to be at Kurogane's side during fights, but could it appear without having to show the wings? Could Fai finally show him his wings and create the actual bond?

The wizard's hand lingered back to his shoulder. No, he couldn't. Not yet.

"I wasn't in pain, Kuro-puu. Looks like I got you to come see me~" No, that's not what he wanted to say. "You fell for it!" That's not what he wanted to say at all!

And Fai knew it as soon as Kurogane's warmth left his side. The shocked, then confused, then angered look that overcame his eyes pierced Fai the more he looked at him, and Fai knew he was wrong to have tried and played it off like that.

"Kuro-sama, I—" He tried to reel back some of his words, reaching out to grab the other's hand.

"Forget it," Kurogane interrupted, slapping, outright slapping, Fai's hand away and standing up to walk to the door. "I was stupid for thinking—I was stupid to have come." He glared back at Fai's still kneeling position on the bed. "I fell for it. Now don't talk to me again." He closed the door behind him, leaving a light rattle on the doorknob that Fai blankly stared at.

A few minutes passed before he moved again. Then he started laughing. "Of course." He trailed his fingers over his eyes. "Of course!"

Of course Kurogane wouldn't want a Winged like him being around. Who wanted someone that always annoyed you with stupid nicknames after they told them to stop? Who wanted someone that could only say the wrong things at the absolute worst times?

Kurogane didn't need someone who couldn't freely say what they truly wanted, who couldn't even get his name right after all the time they spent together, and he definitely didn't need a Winged like Fai hanging around him for the rest of his life.

The more Fai laughed the more unconscious he became towards the tears falling down his cheeks. Every gasp of laughter morphed into gasps of pain and anguish, until he was flat out sobbing into his hands.

Tonight, Fai vowed, tonight was the last night he would cry from being born a Winged. And tonight was the last night he would ever even think about releasing his wings again since all they seemed to do was bring him pain.

So until the sun had risen and a new day was set to begin, Fai cried. He cried until he had no more tears to shed and all he could release were the wounded coos of his inner Winged lamenting their fate. He cried until the blue of his magician's eyes were almost as red as Kurogane's until finally, finally he fell into a restless daze on his bed, minutes before Sakura came knocking to say that they had to go.

The entire night passed by in such a blur that Fai didn't even realize that his back was burning.

~_KuroFai~KuroFai~KuroFai~_

Two weeks had gone without the group having found any trace of Sakura's feather. They searched for any rumors that might have been going around, any strange objects that might have appeared, even flat out asking the locals if there had been any mythical, magical feathers that fell from the sky but without any luck.

It was then decided that if a feather was not in that world, then some fate had to happen before they could move on. But what?

The search wasn't exactly going as smoothly as it could have either. With Kurogane refusing to make any contact with the wizard and Fai becoming more reclused each day with the increasing pain in his back, it was a wonder that they could get anything done at all.

As it was nearing the end of the third week without any progress the group was beginning to grow anxious and wonder what they were missing.

"Are you sure you can't feel anything Mokona? Anything at all that could help get us to the next world?" Syaoran asked for the fifth time in the past week, feeling bad for becoming such an annoyance when he knew the little creature could do no more then them.

Mokona's ears wilted. "I'm sorry Syaoran. Mokona can't sense anything that feels like Sakura's feather."

"It's okay Mokona-chan," Sakura consoled, hugging the white creature closer to her chest as the group walked home after another day of hard work, "that just means we'll have to search even harder to find whatever it is we need."

Kurogane huffed, anger—while still in check—growing with the lack of actual help from Mokona. "What if this is the Witch getting back at us for whatever she thinks we did and is using the pork bun to keep us from moving?"

"Yuuko would never do that! And Mokona would never do anything like that either!" The poor girl sounded close to tears, taking what would normally be seen as a tease to heart. "Mokona wouldn't do that!"

This was the part where Fai would normally engage in a friendly banter with Kurogane, easing the tension by drawing all the attention to himself, but as more days past with the two blatantly ignoring each other and the burning of Fai's body increasing he was slowly losing the energy to even try and cheer up Mokona.

Syaoran noticed that Fai was hardly paying attention to the conversation between the two. "Fai-san? What do you think?"

Fai's blank eyes continued staring forward without answer. "Fai-san?"

They were reaching the part of town that was most deserted, seeing their temporary—or, for this long trip, more than temporary—rental house, in the distance. Strange, though.

Even though the wizard was far away from paying attention to the conversation next to him, Fai was still conscious enough to realize that the streets were oddly deserted.

He slowly looked up at the darkening sky. By the light of the dwindling sun and taking in that this world was reaching the end of their summer days, it should be around eight o'clock. There should still be people walking around, even if it was to just get home.

Fai's awakening eyes widened. "Who's—"

The earth erupted from underneath the group's feet, throwing them in different directions before landing with varying intense thuds.

"Syaoran-kun!"

Sakura's scream mixed with Mokona's yellings of "Let me go! Let me go!" revived the others from their stunned places on the ground.

"Sakura!" Syaoran tried getting up, reaching for his princess as he was captured in the hold of two large men.

"I don't think so, little boy."

"Dammit," Kurogane cursed, seeing that Mokona could no longer give him his sword as she and Sakura were both gagged by the hands of the first man. "Let those three go."

"Get him." A voice commanded, having five of his attackers jump the largest of the traveling group, pinning him down.

Fai gave his own silent yell as he saw Kurogane go down, body seething in it's want to protect and drawing the attention of the final two grunts who took hold of each of his arms to keep him from struggling.

A tall man wearing the casual wear of that world walked up to the scene, cleaning off his glasses from the upraised dust still lingering from the initial explosion.

Syaoran's eyes narrowed in slight recognition. "Kyle Rondart?"

The man, Kyle, looked at them with a smile but tilted his head in confusion. "It seems that you already know me, but I can't say that I've ever met you before."

So this Kyle was not the one jumping around worlds making an even greater mess of things. But this guy meant that there was more than one of him.

Fai, the furthest captive away from everyone else, could practically hear the internal groans coming from his other companions.

The black haired man flipped is hand in nonchalance. "I guess it doesn't really matter how you know me, as much as you know what I'm going to do with you."

Turning to glance into the eyes of each captive he settled his gaze on Fai. Coming closer he gently ran his hand down the side of his face.

"Don't touch him," Kurogane growled from the ground, scowling as one of the five on top of his dug their knee into his back.

Kyle paid him no attention. "You all are travelers, non natives to this…place."

The way he hesitated at 'place' made Fai feel uncomfortable. Even if he wasn't the Kyle Rondart they knew, how much knowledge did he actually have about them?

"And non natives means that you have no one to notice if you are gone. And," he brushed the hair over Fai's blue eyes, "you will go for a large price."

"What?" the wizard spat, moving his head away yet hissing as one of the guys holding his arms pulled on his hair, drawing his head back and making his neck vulnerable.

"Well you all have been in his country a long time, so you must know just how…expensive things are here." Kyle smiled, taking little care to Fai's reaction. "But you all were able to find work so quickly for being outsiders, how fortunate."

Fai's eyes narrowed. "So you were the one following us that day outside the bakery."

"He what?" Syaoran and Kurogane yelled, one scared that they had been so close to the princess, the other angry at not being told that they were being watched.

Kyle nodded. "Well, not me of course. But some of my men here. You were very easy to spot in the crowd."

He ran his hands down the offered neck, trailing his finger back up until it flicked off the hostage's chin.

"You all have something that is marketable to someone, so I can make money on any of you really. Well…except for…" His eyes trailed down to where the largest of the bunch was held. "No one really has a need for such a large man like yourself. There are too many around already. So, I'm afraid I can't take you along."

He nodded to the man closest to him, the grunt taking out his hidden knife and placing it against the back of Kurogane's neck.

"Sorry," Kyle said, smiling. "It's just business."

There were multiple calls of concern—Syaoran fighting against his captor, Sakura and Mokona making muffled screams against the hands of their own—but Fai could barely hear any of them.

The Winged being inside of him was the loudest it's ever been, bashing against the inner walls of Fai's will to be released and save his Beloved. Fai was trying to hold himself back; Kurogane would get out of there on his own, he would fight and take out all those people on his own and be angry at the mage for even thinking that he needed help.

But the more Fai watched, the more he saw Kurogane struggle and fight and just _not be able to get out on his own_, and with each second he battled himself, the blade got closer to the other's neck.

Until Fai snapped.

He called upon his magic, the magic he had sworn off the day the Witch took away his binding tattoo, and let his Winged self be free from the shackles he had been placed under long before the tattoo was lost.

Great wings sprouted from his back, knocking the two holding him aside in a grand flick of the feathers, and jumped towards the people holding his temporary family.

The magic he concurred was enough to freeze time for a few seconds, just long enough to blow all of the five away with his summoned wind. They all toppled over, shock and fear flowing through their voices and Fai was just in control of himself to take pleasure in such sounds.

However his attention was pinpointed on the one man that had threatened Kurogane, blade still tightly grasped in his hand with the tip lightly dripping in blood. Fai's eyes dilated.

"He's a Winged!" one of the men shouted, picking himself off the ground and tripping as he back away. "You never said he was a Winged!"

Kyle back away, his usual pleasantly emotionless face replaced by genuine fear. "He wasn't—I was never told…"

Deciding the quickest way to send them off, and possibly damage the two individuals he was most angry with, Fai chanted a light spell, picking up the grunt and throwing him at Kyle.

He wasn't quick enough to escape and was mowed over by the larger man. Fai picked up the dropped knife and walked to them.

"I think this blade is more suited for the throats of the wicked, then the innocent." His eyes glowed as he looked down at the frightened men. "Don't you agree?"

The two quickly got up, stumbling away as they ran as far as they could in hopes that the Winged would not chase after them.

Fai aimed the knife at Kyle's back thinking how easy it would be to simply throw it and take out one Kyle from the universe, but closed his eyes and released a breath instead, dropping the weapon to the ground and waiting until their attackers were all gone.

Slowly he turned back to look at his group, Sakura and Syaoran slightly huddled together with Kurogane in front.

Fai shakily sighed, slowly walking toward them until he stopped in front of Kurogane. At least none of them moved back or attacked him, which was nice.

Hesitantly he reached out to gently touch the side that was bleeding. He knew that the warrior would soon attack him for being so close, so he wanted to have his first—and most likely last—contact with him before it was too late. "They managed to hurt you, Kuro-puu."

He remained silent, just looking at the blond. "…You're a Winged."

A nod. "Yes."

"And you've been hiding it from us."

Another nod. "Yes."

Kurogane looked back to the children before staring back. "Are you mine?"

A hesitant, very small nod with a hesitant, very small voice. "Yes."

There was a pregnant pause as the two just looked at each other, taking in the other's depth behind their eyes before Kurogane sighed and reached up to grab Fai's hand still on his neck.

Fai flinched.

"Why didn't you tell me you stupid, idiot mage."

"Huh?" Before Fai knew it he was pulled into Kurogane's chest as the hand not grasping his own tilted up his head, making his lips meet the warrior's in a kiss.

Fai tried to push away but a sudden stroke to his wings made him melt deeper into the embrace. They stayed that way until Kurogane pulled back, Fai gasping in a need for air and from the unexpectedness of the turn of events.

"Wait—Kuro-puu I thought that—I though you would…"

"That's why you should never believe what's in your head, idiot," the taller scoffed, taking to rubbing the white and blue tinted wings instead of meeting the mage's confused gaze.

"Kuro-puu's blushing!"

"I am not!"

As sudden the embrace was, it was equally as suddenly released as Kurogane made a lunge for the laughing Mokona, jumping from Sakura's shoulder to Syaoran's in a new game of 'keep away from Kurogane'.

Fai just stared at the two children. "What about you two?"

Syaoran smiled up at him. "You saved us Fai-san. I don't think that's something that would make us see you differently."

Sakura nodded enthusiastically. "And Fai-san is still Fai-san. Only now with pretty wings!"

The said wings fluttered in embarrassment as Fai blushed himself.

He was grateful to the two for taking his winged form so well, and he was unbelievably thankful that the burning he had lived with for so long was finally gone, but…

But after so long he forgot how to actually hide his wings properly.

He tucked the two added appendages behind him, trying to make them as small as he could before a hand reached out to gently grasp at one.

The mage quickly turned to face Kurogane who, still a little red faced, took to stroking the feathers again. "Don't hide them. Not yet at least."

Though happier than he's ever been, Fai had to get his final fear out in the open.

"Kuro-sama…you're not…angry that your Winged is _me_?"

Kurogane stopped his movements and, against every instinct he had, Fai cooed in sadness, fluttering his wings gently against the other's hand to make him return the lost contact.

Chuckling, he continued.

"I always felt something strong for you, mage," he whispered, wanting to keep his words for the Winged only. "Until now, I thought that it was anger that drew me to you." He pulled lightly at a particularly long wing. "But I guess I was just angry that you were hiding this from me."

Turning so that he could face his Beloved, Fai searched his eyes for the truth in his words. Seeing that there was absolutely no lie, instead just the gaze of awkward honesty, Fai threw himself at the warrior.

"Kuro-Beloved!"

Suddenly, the earring on Mokona's ear began to glow. "It's time, it's time! It's time to go!"

And with the light encompassing them in a sign of their long awaited continuation, Kurogane held onto Fai just as Fai held onto him.

As they disappeared from the world and on their way to the next one, Fai couldn't help himself but to keep smiling. Because he knew that he could finally have the bond he so desperately wanted for so long. Because he knew that he would not have to face the rest of his days alone even with Kurogane right next to him. Because he knew that they could finally be together after all the years of searching, and then denying, themselves of each other.

Since they could now face each new world together, as Winged and Beloved were meant to.

**End**

**So what do you guys think? Should I continue with the "Feathered" Series? With a different pairing? If so, please tell me who'd you'd like to see. If not, I'll probably start uploading my multi chapter fics that I've been working on, but I'm not sure which I'll do first. I have a few Pandora Hearts ones and a D Gray Man that I've started and kinda like but I'm not sure yet. **

**I'll see you guys in whatever I make next. Have a great week!**


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